Moriori Language Week

Moriori are seeking support for the creation of an officially recognised Moriori Language Week in New Zealand.

New Zealand already observes many other officially recognised language weeks, including Rotuman, Samoan, Kiribati, Solomon Islands Pidgin, Cook Islands Māori, Tongan, Papua New Guinea Tok Pisin, Tuvaluan, Fijian, Niuean, and Tokelauan. Moriori stand with their Māori and Pacific Island hunau (family) and support their individual language weeks, and we hope to follow in their footsteps to find similar recognition for our language.

We started a petition to see if New Zealanders would support the idea: https://chng.it/fsYfBBztyj

We have been pleasantly surprised by the amount of interest we have received so far. I would encourage you to have a look at the number of signatures and the comments they have left behind.

We are hoping to use that week as a platform to showcase Moriori language, traditions, and contributions. And to dispel the commonly held myths about our ancestors and their history that are still regularly repeated by many New Zealanders to slander Māori.

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